As I have listened and read about the horrific events in a small school in Connecticut - about which, more tomorrow - my thoughts have turned to one of the wordsmiths of our age, George Carlin, now gone to his own reward.

He comes to mind when I encounter words like this:

The odds are extremely high that the killer was either afflicted with an antisocial personality disorder – meaning a person without conscience or empathy – or suffering from some other personality disorder.

What's wrong with the single word "psychopath"?

Why is the generic "personality disorder" to be preferred?

An inordinately shy boy or girl - or a loudmouthed bully, for that matter - may have a "personality disorder".